2013 Internationale Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen Stage 5

Despite the stage beginning with a very aggressive pace during the first lap, no one was able to establish a breakaway. However, the situation changed on the second lap, when an escape group of 17 riders managed to ride clear. But, many of the top riders in the GC including Tatiana Guderzo Ellen van Dijk and Carmen Small and Lizzie Armitstead failed to make the split.

At one point, the front group increased it’s advantage over the main peloton by more than 7 minutes. However, an eight rider chase group was ultimately able to trim back their deficit to just over six minutes. But, by the end of the stage, the bulk of the peloton conceded more than 12 minutes during the 100km stage. And, it wasn’t until the final lap that the original 17-rider escape group was fractured.